TSST-1, enterotoxin and bacteriocin-like substance production by Staphylococcus aureus isolated from foods

The production of Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin-1 (TSST-1), enterotoxins and bacteriocin-like substances was evaluated in 95 strains of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from raw bovine milk (n=31) and from food samples involved in staphylococcal food poisoning (n=64). Enterotoxigenicity tests with the membrane over agar associated to optimal sensibility plate assays were performed and showed that 96.77% of strains recovered from milk and 95.31% from food samples produced enterotoxins A, B, C, D or TSST-1. Reference strains S. epidermidis, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Lactobacillus casei, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, S. aureus, Salmonella Typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Bacteroides fragilis were used as indicator bacteria in the antagonistic assays, the first five being sensitive to antagonistic substances. Brain heart infusion agar, in pH values ranging from 5.0 to 7.0 in aerobic atmosphere showed to be the optimum condition for antagonistic activity as evaluated with the best producer strains against the most sensitive indicator bacterium, L. monocytogenes. Sensitivity to enzymes confirmed the proteinaceous nature of these substances. Neither bacteriophage activity nor fatty acids were detected and the antagonistic activity was not due to residual chloroform. Results did not establish a positive correlation between the bacteriocinogenic profile and toxigenicity in the tested S. aureus strains. Avaliou-se a produção de toxina-1 da síndrome do choque tóxico (TSST-1), enterotoxinas e substâncias antagonistas tipo bacteriocina em 95 amostras de Staphylococcus aureus recuperadas de leite bovino in natura (n=31) e de alimentos envolvidos em surto de intoxicação (n=64). Testes de enterotoxigenicidade pelo método da membrana sobre ágar, associado à técnica da sensibilidade ótima em placa, revelaram que 96,77% das amostras do leite e 95,31% daquelas dos alimentos produziram enterotoxinas estafilocócicas tipos A, B, C, D ou TSST-1. Nos ensaios de antagonismo, foram utilizadas como reveladoras amostras de referência de S. epidermidis, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Lactobacillus casei, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, S. aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis e Bacteroides fragilis, sendo as cinco primeiras sensíveis às substâncias produzidas. As condições ótimas para a atividade antagonista, avaliadas com as melhores produtoras contra a indicadora mais sensível, L. monocytogenes, foram observadas em aero